Chapter Text
Naruto softly twirled a golden tendril of hair around her finger as she leaned back on the pillow. Her bright eyes attached firmly to the methodical spinning of the ceiling fan, the crisp white sheets below her wrinkling ever so slightly with each unintentional movement.
She looked out of place in this bedroom, she could freely admit. Her neon orange tank top and shorts contrasted harshly among the white bedsheets and plain beige walls. She was an oddity, a bright blonde sore thumb amongst the masculine minimalistic furniture. Her personal effects harshly stood out: the orange cover of her favorite novel laying haphazardly on the deep brown dresser, her black zip up jacket thrown casually on the loveseat, her frog wallet besides the simple black leather one that boasted elegance and taste. It allowed anyone who would enter this abode to know that they was odd. Out of place. Something that just did not belong.
Much like herself, she surmised, catching her reflection in the dressers mirror. Tanned skin, whiskered cheeks, hair that was a few shades past nauseatingly bright, pajamas that a blind man could see a million miles away. Standing besides Shikamaru was even more startling of a sight, they were so different from one another, with barely a single thing in common. She was loud, hyper, admittedly a bit insecure, kind of an idiot. He was— he was perfect. He was quiet and contemplative, confident and secure, devastatingly handsome and ridiculously intelligent.
She had attempted to decorate his bare apartment just a bit. She added a few plants along the windowsill in his living room, placed a few throw pillows and a blanket or two along the couches and love seats. Placed several ramen cups and decorative bowls into the kitchen cupboard. It still looked off to her however, as though she were trying to add her mark on a place that would never quite be hers.
Naruto glanced at the bookshelves that elegantly decorated his bedroom, stuffed with complex texts with titles she could barely pronounce. Philosophical studies and theological ideologies, political manuscripts and wartime strategies. Books he casually read around her time and time again as she devoured Ichi Ichi Paradise for the hundredth time.
She wondered how Temari felt here in his neutrally painted bedroom; lounging on the very bed that Naruto currently lay upon. She probably blended in perfectly here, looking as though she were a part of the very décor itself. A more relaxed Kunoichi, one who could simply lay around calmly with her head on Shikamaru’s bare chest as they read complicated philosophical inquiries together. She was strikingly intelligent herself, they probably had a million topic choices to run through together. Scholarly topics that Naruto could never hope to understand.
Naruto felt her fingers clench tightly in the sheets. This was stupid, she could admit to herself. There was no reason to compare herself to Temari, she was already well aware of where she ranked in that regard. Of course Naruto didn’t look like she belonged here; she didn’t. This was merely all a ploy, a farce. Temari was probably the one who helped Shikamaru choose all of this furniture, all with the idea that this would one day be the home that they would one day share. Which they would, once this was all over.
Naruto heard the keys jingle before the door opened, sitting up roughly in the bed and quickly wiping the single tear that she didn’t realize had started to fall.
“Naruto, are you here?” Shikamaru called from the living room.
She quickly straightened up her clothes and fixed her hair, running her fingers through it quickly in an attempt to make it seem like less of a mess, “Um yeah! In here Shika!”
Shikamaru entered the bedroom, his eyes ever so slightly darkening as he caught sight of Naruto in his bed; her hair free from any hair ties, loose and hanging down to her waist, her orange tank top and shorts leaving very little to the imagination and highlighting her tan beautifully, her large eyes blinking at him as her pink lips twisted ever so slightly upwards into a sleepy smile.
Fuck. Shikamaru was completely and utterly fucked.
He swallowed roughly, his eyes attaching firmly to her face, stuffing his now shaking hands into his pockets, “You just woke up?”
Fuck. His voice was low and gruff, a tone he recognized quite easily, a tone he should not be having in front of his colleague and friend as they partook in a casual conversation.
“Yeah, we had the day off from training,” Naruto stretched her arms up, her shirt sliding up ever so slightly and flashing a hint of stomach. This is how I die, Shikamaru thought as his eyes darted down unintentionally to the sliver to skin, Naruto is surely out to kill me.
“You left early,” Naruto continued, “I didn’t even hear you get up.”
Shikamaru had been sleeping on the couch for the last several days as Naruto stayed in his place, and as he watched her sleepily rub her eyes as she looked at him, he thanked Kami for that little blessing. If he were forced to actually share a room with her, well, he probably would have not survived the night.
“Yeah,” Shikamaru coughed as his fingers twitched for a cigarette, his gaze firmly on the wall above her head, “The Hokage wanted to see me.”
“Oh? What about?” Naruto questioned as she slowly, almost lazily, left the bed and continued to stretch, gathering her long hair into a high messy ponytail.
Shikamaru started mentally counting backwards by seven from 1000 as he attempted to steady his breathing. 1000. 993. 986. 979.
“About you. The Hiro thing, I mean. It’s getting more and more troublesome by the day,” Shikamaru explained, wishing that he could grab a cigarette but fully knowing that it was not worth the lecture that Naruto would surely launch into, “His father, the Daimyo, wrote to Tsunade. He has invited her, as well as several other Konoha diplomats, to his Fire Day Festival. He usually throws a large grand party every year in his palace in the capital, several dignitaries from Konoha, Tsunade included, usually go every year. This year, he made a point to send you an invitation by name; an invitation you can’t exactly refuse.”
Naruto stilled, “Oh. Fuck. What does this mean for me then?”
Shikamaru sighed, a hand coming to scratch the back of his head, “It means he was looking for an opportunity to put you in the same room as his prodigal son, probably an attempt to launch a proposal in person. An opportunity he won’t have due to the fact that you will be escorted to the party by your very serious and incredibly political powerful boyfriend.”
Naruto’s lips curled up into a sly grin, “So, I’ll be okay?”
“Yeah, you should be,” Shikamaru nodded, “As long as we play everything perfectly. The Fire Day Festival is in a month, by then rumors of our romance should have reached the capital city. We need to play the perfect couple, but more importantly we need to play a perfectly committed couple, one fully and utterly devoted to one another. If we do this right, we should be out of the line of fire, and have a smooth sailing until Hiro eventually gets married.”
“This is great then! We’re wonderful actors! If we could convince our closest friends that we’re truly in love, then surely a bunch of prissy little politicians and royals would be easy enough!” Naruto cried with a grin as she skipped across the room.
This was perfect, better than perfect! A lavish, amazing high society party, one where she would be forced to cozy up to Shikamaru all day. A ball where she would be expected to hold a finely dressed Shikamaru close to her in a romantic dance, stealing kisses amongst the rumored splendor of the grand palace ballroom. A party that would serve to save her from the immediate danger of an arranged marriage. Her grin overtook her features before taking a quick glance at Shikamaru’s hesitant face, “Why do you look worried? Is there something that I need to worry about?”
“No nothing like that,” Shikamaru sighed, “It’s just that the Fire Day Festival usually welcomes dignitaries from all of the major villages, which as you can imagine includes—“
“— Gaara and Temari.”
“Yup.”
“Fuck.”
“Fuck indeed.”
Naruto blinked. When she was Hokage, she was going to write a law to make it illegal for Shikamaru to say the word “Fuck”. It was doing weird things to her body.
She shook her head from the thought, “Well thankfully we already dealt with Gaara and Temari, they already know about our relationship so they won’t be surprised.”
“True,” Shikamaru drawled, “But we will still have to face the fallout and repercussions of our supposed relationship. I highly doubt Gaara will be in the greatest mood, watching us dance and generally act like a couple.”
Naruto snorted, “Gaara? What about Temari? I wouldn’t blame her if she attempted to claw out my eyes during the ball for even daring to kiss you in public. I’d probably do the same thing if I were in her shoes.”
Shikamaru paused, a slight smirk creeping up his face, “Oh really? Would you now?”
Naruto halted her motions, a flush of red slowly crawling up her cheeks, “I— I uh didn’t mean anything by that. Just that— you know— I wouldn’t let someone steal my boyfriend is all. Especially not a hot one—” Naruto stopped her sentence quickly, a hand coming up to her mouth to stop more words from unintentionally slipping out.
“Really now? You think I’m hot?” Shikamaru drawled, stepping closer and closer to the flustered Naruto.
“Um— I mean… you know…technically if we’re being exact about it, you are of course attractive. But— but it doesn’t mean anything… I mean you are hot, but like of course you know you’re hot so it’s not new information, but it’s not like I find you hot… I mean I do find you hot but… but… but…” Naruto face palmed, “I’m just going to stop talking.”
Shikamaru chuckled lowly, causing a shiver to run down Naruto’s body as he stepped almost flush against her, dropping his mouth to her ear to softly whisper, “It’s okay Naruto, I think you’re hot too.”
An unintentional squeak left Naruto’s lips, a sound Shikamaru would have been all too happy to further explore, if not for the ringing of the doorbell interrupting what Shikamaru was sure to have been a riveting conversation.
Shikamaru allowed his eyes to slowly drag up Naruto’s form as he carefully stepped away, his voice deep and low as he promised, “We will be continuing this conversation later.”
Naruto sat back down clumsily onto the bed as Shikamaru left the bedroom, her hand quickly placed on her heart and feeling the uncontrollable stuttering underneath her fingertips. Fuck. She was very very fucked.
“Kurenai! What a wonderful surprise, do come in.” She could hear Shikamaru’s voice in the other room.
“Hey Shikamaru, I’m sorry for dropping in so early.” A feminine voice responded, Kurenai, Naruto presumed.
“You’re always welcome here, you know that. Where’s Mirai?”
“I left her with Konohamaru for the day, I had a few errands to run today so he offered to watch her.” She spoke softly, “I actually just wanted to check up on you.”
“Well, please, take a seat Kurenai.”
Naruto stood up quickly, her eyes darting to her reflection in the mirror quickly. She let down her ponytail, a hand going up to her hair to quickly mess it up. She slowly lifted her tank top half an inch, intentionally showing just a sliver of skin. She looked like she just rolled out of bed.
She opened the door clumsily, dragging a hand down her face as she sleepily called out, “Hey Shikamaru, what do I have to do to convince you to get me some ramen.”
She stopped suddenly in front of the couch where the prim and polished, yet slightly surprised, face of Kurenai, and the suddenly incredibly amused countenance of Shikamaru sat staring at her.
Naruto crossed her arms across her stomach in a false show of modestly as she chuckled awkwardly, “Heyyy sensei, I’m sorry I didn’t realize we had guests.”
Kurenai was quick to wipe the shock from her face as she stood up to give Naruto a quick hug, “Oh no worries Naruto! I’m so sorry I came by so suddenly, I didn’t realize you were here.”
Naruto scratched the back of her head as she awkwardly grinned, “It’s okay sensei, I’m here most days… so…”
“Oh. Right, of course you are,” Kurenai smiled, “Well, I’m glad to see things are going well between the two of you. It is always a pleasure to see you, Naruto.”
Naruto grinned, “It’s great to see you sensei. Can I offer you some food while you’re here? Tea perhaps?”
“Oh no, I’m not staying,” Kurenai made her way to the door, “I was just in the neighborhood and thought I would check up on Shikamaru. I actually wanted to invite the two of you to dinner tomorrow, if you’re free? I still need to track down Ino and Choji to invite them as well.”
Shikamaru and Naruto quickly glanced at one another, before the corners of Shikamaru’s lips pulled up into a small smile, “We’d be happy to come over.”
Kurenai smiled at the pair, her eyes shrewdly examining the casual, comfortable posture of the two ninjas as they stood besides one another.
“By the way, Naruto?”
“Yes?”
Kurenai grinned, “I love what you’ve done to the place. The apartment is finally starting to look like an actual home.”
Naruto blinked away the very real tears that were pulling in the corners of her eyes, flashing a smile so wide her teeth bared, “Thanks sensei.”
That afternoon found the pair at Naruto’s favorite place on earth: Ichiraku Ramen. As Naruto messily slumped up her fourth bowl of noodles, she exclaimed, “All I’m saying is that a bright orange dress is perfectly appropriate for a high society ball, especially the Fire Day Festival. Fire is orange after all! But the last time I tired to wear one to the second anniversary of the Fourth Konoha War Treaty, Ino threatened to set it on fire! With me still in it!”
Shikamaru chuckled as he carefully ate his noodles, his posture straight and proper as he somehow classily slurped ramen, “I think you should wear whatever you’re more comfortable in. You look absolutely stunning in whatever you choose to wear. Although I have to admit, I always have thought that you’re a vision in orange.”
Naruto stopped slurping, her eyelashes fluttering as she looked shyly at Shikamaru, “Really?”
Shikamaru nodded, his head lowering to whisper in her ear, “You looking fucking sexy in orange, to be completely honest.”
Naruto could feel her heart actually, physically skip a beat. There was no one around them. No one to see him whisper all sexy-like in her ear. Even if there were, there was no way anyone would be able to hear what he had to say, considering how quiet his whisper was. He didn’t have to say anything, there was no one there to perform for. Which means that maybe, just maybe, he actually meant it.
Naruto gulped, determined to give as good as she got, “That bodes well for our sex life.”
Shikamaru let out a sharp, surprised laugh, “While I do adore your orange pajamas, and trust me when I say I do love them, I must say the act of getting you out of them is a much better vision.”
Naruto couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t breathe even if she tried. He was going to kill her, this was truly how she was going to die.
“I— I—“
“Hey Naruto!” Kiba’s sharp greeting interrupted whatever response Naruto would have sputtered, and thus allowed her to once more draw in a breath,
“K—Kiba! Hey!” Naruto replied, her voice slightly stuttering as she tried to get her breathing under control.
“Shikamaru, I see you’re here too,” Kiba quirked a brow, “Since when do fuck buddies go on dates? I thought the extent of your outings ended between the sheets?”
Naruto screeched, “Kiba!! What the fuck!?”
Shikamaru sighed, “We are friends first and foremost, Kiba. We are allowed to hang out.”
“I don’t know about you Nara, but I don’t go around fucking my friends,” Kiba shrugged as he quickly glanced at Naruto’s slowly reddening face, “I mean, I wouldn’t mind if my friend was particularly hot, but I wouldn’t take them on a date afterwards.”
Naruto quickly grabbed her bearings, “Fuck off mutt! Learn how to mind your own business!”
Kiba glanced between the two ninjas, one who looked close to murder, one who looked far too amused for the situation at hand, “Unless… you actually want to be on a date?”
Naruto grit her teeth, “Fuck. Off. What Shikamaru and I choose to do is between the two is us, you need to learn how to mind your own business.”
“That didn’t answer the question,” Kiba’s grin widened wolfishly.
“It is a date,” Shikamaru sharply responded, ignoring the quick turning of Naruto’s head as she stared at him, “Now kindly leave us alone and let us get back to it.”
“I knew it!” Kiba cried, “The two of you look way too cozy to simply be just fucking.”
Naruto’s nose scrunched, “You’re disgusting Kiba.”
Kiba continued as if he didn’t hear her, “I mean I don’t blame Shikamaru for making it official. He would have to be a moron to let a woman as hot as you go after getting her into bed.”
“Indeed,” Shikamaru drawled, “Now go away.”
Kiba threw his hands up, “Alright alright man, I can take a hint. Have fun on your little date.” He wiggled his eyes brows suggestively as he ran away with a cackle, narrowly dodging the empty ramen bowl that Naruto had chucked at his head.
Naruto crossed her arms angrily as she heavily frowned, “Ugly fucking vulgar mutt.”
Shikamaru traced his thumb across her lips, slowing dragging the corners up into a smile, “Come on, don’t let the moron ruin a perfectly good date.”
“And is this? A date?” Naruto asked hesitantly, shuffling nervously in place.
Shikamaru smiled softly, the small type of smile that Naruto was unaware that he was capable of forming before this whole ruse, “I absolutely want this to be.”
Naruto melted into the soft kiss he placed upon her lips, her hands coming up to tightly grip the neck of his shirt. For just a moment, she would pretend that this was real. For just a moment, she would forget that this was all a ruse. As she felt his fingers tightly grip her waist, she let herself think that just maybe he was forgetting too.